AD Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu C’ship ends on high note in LA

Emirati competitors continued to win medals for the second consecutive day of the third round of the fifth Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu Championship held in Los Angeles, winning eight medals that included two golds, three silvers and three bronzes, bringing their tournament total to 51, with 20 gold, 16 silver, and 15 bronze.

Wadima El Yafei, who competed in the 49kg weight category, won a gold medal on the tournament’s final day on Monday, defeating all her American opponents.

Mohammed Karam Hassan also won a gold medal in the 62kg weight category for “Masters 2” brown belts while silver medals went to Abdullah Al Marzouki in the 85kg category, Ahmed Omar in the under 120kg category, and Mohammed Omari in the 94kg category.

Three bronze medals were won by Maha Al Hinai in the 95kg category, Ali Al Kaabi in the 69kg category, and Rashid Al Kaabi in the under 120kg category.

Mohammed Al Kuwaiti, Acting Consul of the UAE in Los Angeles, Tariq Al Bahri, Director of the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Tours, Khalid Al Hinai, Chief Operating Officer of the Al Wahda Club and Supervisor of the Jiu-Jitsu Academy, and Gustavo Mudjari, President of the American Jiu-Jitsu Federation, attended the matches and crowned the winners.

The UAE’s jiu-jitsu team won 43 medals during the first day of the championship, consisting of 18 golds,13 silvers and12 bronzes.

Hazza Al Kaabi, Consul-General of the UAE in Los Angeles, stressed that he was keen to be present among the UAE nationals and share their joy at their achievements, adding that he is proud of the growth and development of jiu-jitsu in the UAE, which has succeeded in many continental and international tournaments.

At the end of the tournament, Brazil led the

country rankings with 19,240 points, with the US coming second with 17,980 points, followed by the UAE in third with 10,020 points, Mexico in fourth with 2,120 points, and Canada in fifth with 520 points.

In the list of competing academies, Brazil’s Atos came in first place with 6,160 points, followed by the Al Wahda Club in second place with 5,200 points, with Brazil’s Allianz coming in third place with 3,520 points, the Brazilian GF Team in fourth with 3,160 points, and Checkmat from the US in fifth with 3,140 points.

More than 700 athletes from 50 countries participated in the event.

Meanwhile, the UAE U-16 and U-18 national Jiu-Jitsu teams returned home to a heroes’ welcome on Tuesday, following an extraordinary performance at the World Youth Cup and the Balkan Youth Championships held in the Romanian capital Bucharest.

The young Jiu-Jitsu Falcons who raised the UAE flag high at the prestigious events were greeted at Dubai airport by UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF) Board members, including Mohammed Salem Al Dhaheri, Vice Chairman of the UAEJJF, Youssef Al Batran, UAEJJF Board Member, Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, CEO of the UAEJJF, Mohamed Hussain Al Marzooqi, Director of Marketing and Finance, UAEJJF, and Mubarak Al Menhali, Technical Director at the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation.

The athletes’ families were also on-hand to welcome home their young jiu-jitsu heroes who bagged 13 medals at the Balkan U18 Open Championship in Bucharest compromising seven golds, four silvers and two bronzes - an achievement that put the UAE at the top of the championship standings.

Zayed Salem Ali, Saeed Al Suwaidi, Abdul Rahman Haidarah, Khalid Al Shehhi, Khalid Al Awlaki, Hazza Al Qubaisi and Salem Al Dhaheri claimed impressive gold medals, while Saeed Al Suwaidi, Saeed Al Shehhi, Sultan Al Hosani and Hamad Al Qubaisi clinched silver medals. Nayef Al Mansouri and Jassim Al Zaabi added to the impressive medal haul with bronze medals.